Recent laws and policies such as the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, the Right of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act, 2016, and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, have undoubtedly paved the way for children with disabilities and those who have been neglected gain access to education and avail the option to be part of any kind of educational setup, including the neighbourhood or ​“regular” school. 

While entry into education is an important step towards inclusion, it does not ensure the inclusion of a student who had been turned away until recently.

For education to become inclusive: 

• Teaching (and learning) and teachers will need to reflect on current classroom practices and devise pedagogy that works for all children.
• Teacher professional development programmes and teacher educators will need to devise ways to help teachers embrace diversity and develop classroom practice and school culture that is truly meant for all children.
• Schools and school leadership will need to contend with its current structures and make necessary changes to ensure that it works for all children. 

This bears discussion with those who are actively working towards the idea of inclusive education and have the experience to recommend what teachers and schools can do to drive change.

It is in this spirit that we are organising a webinar where we will engage with experienced educators, researchers, and teacher-educators. We will discuss evidence to do with inclusive practices, the role of teacher professional development, and school leadership in enabling inclusive classrooms and schools. 

Who should join

The webinar is ideal for school teachers, special educators, counsellors, and school heads working in private and public school systems in India.

Our Panellists

Tanushree Sarkar

Tanushree has a PhD in Community Research and Action from Peabody College, Vanderbilt University and an MSc in Social and Cultural Psychology from London School of Economics and Political Science. 

She studies the global spread of educational theories, policies, and practices and their implications for social justice and inclusive education in the global South. Across her work, Tanushree employs disability studies as a critical and generative tool to disrupt and challenge normativity within education policy and practice. She uses participatory and critical qualitative methods to examine how policies and teacher practices can best serve children excluded from educational systems.

Murari Jha

Murari is a Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement (FTEA) Alumnus of the Department of State, USA, and is presently serving as a Mentor Teacher with Delhi Government Schools. He has invested himself in nurturing the next generation of learners. 

An alumnus of Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, Murari’s educational journey has been marked by a commitment to research and learning.

Radhika Misquitta

Radhika has a PhD in Special Education (Learning Disabilities) from the University of Texas at Austin and MEd in Special Education, and BEd in Special Education from SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai.

Radhika is a founding member of the Gateway School of Mumbai and is co-principal of the school. Her interests are in teacher education, developing systemic supports for supporting children with disabilities, and how technology can be harnessed to optimise learning. At Gateway, Radhika teaches Language to High School students, and supports teacher development, strategic planning, and the research department.

Saranya R

Saranya is a primary school teacher at Good Earth School, Chennai. She teaches English to 3 – 5 grade students. She holds a science degree with a major in Nutrition, Food Service Management, and Dietetics. 

In 2023, she completed her Diploma in Inclusive Education from Azim Premji University. Her current research interest is in exploring ways to make student academic reports more inclusive. Alongside her academic pursuits, she is a proficient Bharatanatyam dancer.

The session will be moderated by Madhusudan Ramesh, a faculty member at Azim Premji University.

Watch the webinar: